To provide an image detection method for judging whether a specific image is present in an input image by temporarily holding the input image signal, obtaining data from the held data like a circle having a radius r, calculating the characteristic value of the circular data, judging whether the characteristic value is included in a specific pattern in accordance with the similarity between the characteristic value and a reference characteristic value, obtaining data like a circle having a radius r' different from the radius r when judging that the characteristic value is included in the specific pattern, calculating a new characteristic value, and repeating the operation of judging whether the new characteristic value is included in a specific pattern over circular data having a plurality of radiuses. Thereby, it is possible to efficiently detect the presence or absence of a specific image whose arrangement conditions such as the angle and position in an input image are unknown.